Man in bed allegedly defends himself with baseball bat

Peter Hardwick
Reporter
Peter started in 1976 as apprentice typesetter/comp and has 32 years with The Chronicle in three stints (in between working/holidays in UK/Europe, Brisbane and Melbourne). Entered editorial from comp room in 1996.

A HELIDON man accused of a violent home-invasion style assault on another man has been refused bail.

Police claim Brett Stephen Fletcher, 34, had first called the Helidon residence of the complainant to find out if he was at home on Tuesday night before going around to find him in bed.

It is further claimed he had then taken to the complainant man with a 50cm x 5cm piece of wood as he lay in his bed.

The complainant had allegedly returned serve with a baseball bat, Toowoomba Magistrates Court heard.

Fletcher appeared in custody but was not required to enter any pleas to charges of entering a dwelling with intent and assault occasioning bodily harm while armed.

Reading through the police written objection to bail, Magistrate Damian Carroll noted police claimed Fletcher had told them he had assaulted the man after he was told the complainant man had assaulted Fletcher's father in a similar way.

It was also claimed the accused had told police, "If I've got to get a gun and sort it out I will", Mr Carroll noted.

Applying for bail on her client's behalf, Fletcher's solicitor Kyna Morice said her client instructed that he would be contesting the charges at this stage.

Ms Morice said she accepted her client had to show cause why detention wasn't justified as it was alleged a piece of wood had been used but she submitted there could be a case of potential provocation.

After a couple of days in custody her client had insight into the seriousness of the matter and had no intention of going near the complainant if granted bail, she said.

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Natalie Bugden said police didn't consider there was provocation in the circumstances and that, "It seems to be a planned attack".

Mr Carroll said it appeared the police case was strong and that the allegations were "very serious".

He refused bail and remanded Fletcher in custody to appear for committal mention on July13.